What is the primary responsibility of the FDA?

The primary responsibility of the FDA, or the Food and Drug Administration, is to ensure the safety and efficacy of medications, biologics, and medical devices before they can be marketed to the public. This involves a rigorous review process where clinical trial data is evaluated to confirm that products meet necessary safety standards and are effective for their intended uses. The FDA plays a crucial role in protecting public health by preventing unsafe or ineffective products from reaching consumers, making option A the correct choice.

Developing new surgical procedures, providing financial support for clinical trials, and overseeing the marketing of pharmaceuticals are not the primary responsibilities of the FDA. Surgical procedures are typically developed through clinical practice and innovation by healthcare professionals. Financial support for clinical trials is generally provided by pharmaceutical companies, academic institutions, or governmental bodies, rather than the FDA itself. The FDA does oversee aspects of pharmaceutical marketing to ensure that promotions are truthful and not misleading, but this is part of a broader regulatory framework rather than its primary mission focused on safety and efficacy evaluations.